Saraswathi Mahal Library

Saraswathi Mahal Library within the Thanjavur Palace campus is one of the oldest continuously functioning libraries in Asia, established by the Nayak kings of Thanjavur in the 16th century. The Maratha king Serfoji II significantly expanded its collection and it now holds over 49,000 volumes, roughly 80 percent in Sanskrit. The collection includes palm-leaf manuscripts, illustrated folios, maps, Tanjore-style paintings, and rare printed works including an early European Bible. Encyclopedia Britannica has called it the most remarkable library of India. A museum section is open to visitors, while rare manuscripts can be viewed by prior arrangement.